Elliptic spring.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905 J. J. FLANAGAN.

ELLIPTIC SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED No.22, 1904.

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Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. FLANAGAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEWV YORK.

ELLIPTIC SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,289, dated July 11, 1905.

Applicati n fi December 22, 1904. Serial No. 237,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES J. FLANAGAN, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefullmprovernents in Bearings for the Ends of Elliptical-Spring Sections, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in bearings for the ends of elliptical-spring sections. In this class of springs the ends of one of the sections are usually bent into the form of eyes, while the ends of the other section are bifurcated to form ears, between which the eyes of the first-named sections are inserted and are clamped to the ears by suitable transverse bolts.

The object of my present invention is to reduce the shearing strains and wear upon the bolt and spring-sections by interposing suitable wearing-sleeves or bushings between the bolt and eyes of one of the spring-sections, whereby the bearing and wear is upon the sleeves or bushings and not upon the bolt.

Another object is to enable the bearings to be easily taken up or tightened when worn, so as to prevent undue looseness or rattling of the parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an elliptical spring embodying the features of my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 2 2, Fig. 8, and 3 3, Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are perspective views, respectively, of one of the clamping-bolts, the Wearingsleeve which encircles said bolt, and the clamping-nut therefor. Figs. 7 and '8 are perspective views of the two tapering bushings which fit in the opposite ends of the sleeve shown in Fig. 5.

The elliptical spring (shown in Fig. 1) comprises an upper section 1 and a lower section 2, the upper sectionlhaving its opposite ends bifurcated vertically to form recesses 3 and opposite pairs of cars 4, While the opposite ends of the lower section 2 are bent into the form of eyes 5, which are inserted in their respective recesses 3 between the ears 4.

The ears 4 at each end of the spring-section 1 are formed with alined openings 6, which are angular or square in cross-section, and in these square openings is fitted a bolt 7 which is also square and of substantially the same cross-sectional area as the openings 6 to prevent turning of the bolt. One end of the bolt 7 is provided with a head 8, and its opposite end is threaded at 9 to receive a nut 10, the head 8 engaging the opposite side of one ear 4 and the nut 10 engaging the outer side of the opposite ear, whereby the ears may be sprung slightly toward each other for a purpose presently described.

The opening in each of the eyes 5 is circular and of considerably greater diameter than the bolt 7, which it encircles, and in each eye is snugly fitted a circular sleeve 11, having a central circular opening 12 of greater diameter than the bolt and through which said bolt passes. The opposite ends of each sleeve 11 are counterbored to form inwardly-tapering sockets or cups 13, in which are fitted tapering bushings 14, having square central openings 15, which receive and fit the bolt 7. These bushings are interposed between the opposite faces of the sleeve 11 and adjacent inner faces of the ears 4 and project slightly beyond the opposite ends of the eyes 5, which are preferably of less width than the distance between the ears to permit said ears to be sprung toward each other by the bolt 7 and nut 10 when tightening the connection or.

taking up the wear between the sleeve 11 and tapering bushings 14. The tapering bearingfaces of the sleeve 11 and bushings are rounding or substantially semispherical to afiord a large bearing area and are usually case-hardened to reduce friction and consequent wear of their surfaces. It now appears that the tapering bushings 14 are impinged between the ears 4 and adjacent ends of the sleeve 11 and are locked from independent circumferential movement to the bolt 7, while the sleeve 11 is snugly fitted in the eye 5, so that it may turn on its axis free from the bolt 7 in case the bushings 14 should be clamped too tightly to turn in their respective sockets in the ends of the sleeve 11. It will be understood, however, that the intention is to clamp the ears to the eyes with just sufiicient firmness to allow the bushings to turn in their sockets Without loss motion or rattling.

In assembling the parts the sleeve 11 is first inserted in their respective eyes 5, and the bushings 14 are then inserted in their sockets or cups 13, after which the section 1' is placed in position with the ears 4 engaging the outer ends of the bushings, and the bolts 7 are then inserted in operative position and clamped in place by the nuts 10. If it is desired at any time to take up any looseness in the bearings, the nuts may be tightened, thereby drawing the ears t together and bringing the tapering bushings 14: into closer relations with their sockets.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An elliptical spring composed of opposite bow-sections, one section having an eye at each end, a separate sleeve inserted in each eye and having tapering sockets in its ends, separate tapering bushings inserted in said sockets, ears on the ends of the other springsection fitting upon the outer ends of the bushings, said ears, bushings and sleeves having alined bolt-openings, and bolts passed through said openings and provided with shoulders engaging the outer faces of the ears for drawing said ears together to hold the bushings in their sockets.

2. An elliptical spring composed of two bow-sections, one of which is formed with an eye in each end, a separate bushing inserted in each eye and provided with a central opening and tapering end sockets, tapering bushings inserted in said sockets and provided with central openings angular in cross-section, ears on the ends of the other spring-section fitting against the outer ends of the bushings and provided with openings also angular in cross-section, and bolts angular in cross-section inserted through the openings in the ears, bushings and sleeves and having shoulders engaging the outer faces of said ears.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of December, 1904.

JAMES J. FLANAGAN. 

